Sub optimal staw
What To Look For:
Straw provided for pigs should be clean and dry; straw which is excessively dusty or damp does not satisfy the pigs need for a clean dry lying area, and reduces straws properties as enrichment. Look for dark or brown straw when freshly provided Check stored straw for dark, damp patches, and mould
Check stored straw for dustiness.
Coughing in pens can indicate that straw is too dusty
Additional information:
Straw provided for pigs should be clean and dry; straw which is excessively dusty or damp does not satisfy the pigs need for a clean dry lying area, and reduces straws properties as enrichment.
Look for:
- Dark or brown straw when freshly provided
- Check stored straw for dark, damp patches, mould or dustiness
- Check pigs in pens for coughing
Optimal straw provides the key properties needed for functional manipulable material for pigs, as well as the beneficial effects of thermal and physical comfort as bedding. When straw is suboptimal it has fewer of these properties and does not maintain the pigs’ interest as a source of manipulable material, and can also make conditions unpleasant in the pen, eg as a cold, damp lying area.
Suggestions:
Source good quality straw and store straw in a way that minimises the deteriorating effects of weather (use of covers and correct ventilation). If straw regularly becomes damp and/or fouled once in the pen, assess what factors are affecting this, eg ventilation patterns allowing weather to make straw wet; ventilation patterns encouraging pigs to dung in the lying area (cold air in the lying area), direction of gradient to the floor (are liquids flowing from the dunging area on to the lying area?)
Additional material:
Action for productivity 8. Feed and straw management to reduce the risk of mycotoxins: http://pork.ahdb.org.uk/media/39533/action-8-feedstraw-mangement-amend.pdf
EU Staff Working Document on best practices for the prevention of routine tail-docking and the provision of enrichment materials to pigs
https://ec.europa.eu/food/sites/food/files/animals/docs/aw_practice_farm_pigs_stfwrkdoc_en.pdf
Action for productivity 21. Ventilation http://pork.ahdb.org.uk/media/2048/Action-21-Ventilation.pdf
AHDB Pork Ventilation Guide http://pork.ahdb.org.uk/environment-buildings/pig-buildings-housing-development/ventilation/ventilating-pig-buildings-guide/